Annual Mock Trial Competition Season Concludes

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Annual Mock Trial Competition Concludes

 Competition Judged by Law School Alumnus James J. Jimmerson ’76

 
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New York, May 5, 2010—Yael Julie Fischer’10 was awarded “best advocate” in this year’s Jerome Michael Mock Trial Competition, open to all second- and third-year Law School students. She competed with three other finalists, Mitch Fagen '10, Molissa Farber '11, and Priscilla
Orta-Wenner '11.
 

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Pictured from left to right: Mitch Fagen, Priscilla Orta-Wenner, James J. Jimmerson, Yael Julie Fischer, and Molissa Farber.

 

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Yael Julie Fischer
 
The problem was written by James M. Jimmerson '10, last year’s winner of the Jerome Michael Jury Cup for best trial advocacy.
The mock trial was judged by Jimmerson’s father, James J. Jimmerson’76, a senior partner of the law firm of Jimmerson Hansen, P.C., who returned to the Law School from Nevada for the annual event.
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pictured: James J. Jimmerson with his son, James M. Jimmerson
 
The jury consisted of seniors from the Belleville, NJ High School Mock Trial Team, who under the leadership of teacher Gerard Ross, participate in their school’s innovative Law Education Program, an after-school program that introduces basic principles and ideas of law, such as how constitutional, statutory, case and administrative laws are created and how cases are tried.  
 
The final four participants advanced from a qualifying round that took place earlier in the spring. Professor Philip Genty, the faculty Moot Court Director, oversees the Jerome Michael program. Genty said, "The combined quality of this year's problem, advocacy, and judging made this an especially memorable event. We are also extremely grateful for the enthusiasm, focused attention, and thoughtful deliberation provided by the high school students."
 
The event is named after Jerome Michael, who graduated from the Law School in 1912 and returned as a member of the faculty in 1927 when he was just 37 years old. Before becoming a professor, Michael enjoyed a distinguished career in private practice and in government, and later served as an advisor to the Department of Justice and as a labor arbitrator. Michael taught for more than 25 years, and was best known for the enduring influence he had on his students.                                                   
                                                                                                       
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